He Who Protects
by ye'oldsoomin
Summary: -Sequel to Number One Guardian- After seeing a bush of orange hair, Masaki ran to a local candy store to get answers about her son's status in the after life. But is it the answer she's looking for?
1. The New Dawning Knight

He Who Protects

* * *

It was a four in the morning. Much too early for anyone sane to be up and running around the street of Karakura Town. It was a good thing the Kurosaki's weren't know for their sanity.

A mother was running down the street dressed in morning clothes with her husband running after him in his soul body. Isshin continued to yell at his wife, telling her to stop or at least slow down. Masaki ignored his pleas and continue running down the street to a small candy shop. She could sense a barrier around it and stood hesitantly around the perimeter.

Her husband stood beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder. He could see she had cried recently and that she was determine to get answers. The father sighed and took a step towards the shop. A black cat, hidden in the shadows, watched as the scene played out. It had a feeling that that lazy shop owner was going to be needed.

It took a silent step toward the window and into a blond haired man's room. He laid there snoring loudly with his hat placed nonchalantly on the floor. It placed a paw on his chest and tried to wake the man.

"Kisuke, wake up. Kisuke," the cat's deep voice called out. He sighed seeing no sign of the man awakening. Three claws appeared and the cat made a quick slash.

The old manager screamed in reaction and sat in the corner healing his injury.

"Yoruichi, why did you do that?" he whined.

"An old friend is here to see you," he answered. His dark eyes looked at the cat in confusion and looked outside his room.

"Kisuke, open the barrier," Isshin ordered. Beyond him, he could see Masaki looking determined to get answers. The blond sighed and went to wake Tessai.

Something told him that he would not get any more sleep today.

------------(Divider)------------------------------------------------------------

"Lieutenant Kurosaki! Lieutenant Kurosaki!" Two voices screamed at the top of their lungs. The teen's amber jumped up in the air and onto a tree to avoid a collision from the third seat officers.

The two laid dog piled on the floor but immediately recovered as they saw the bush of orange hair in the tree.

"Lieutenant Kurosaki! Captain Ukitake wants to speak to you!" they both said simultaneously. Both looked at each other and argued who had said it first. Ichigo sighed at the two before flash stepping to his captain's office.

He had only just begun to rest after a long day of paper work before the two came to ruin his day of relaxation. The lieutenant could only wonder what the captain wanted him for. He shuddered at the thought the last time he asked for him. The captain had given him an anchor and given it to him while smiling to him as if it was the best present in the world. He had no choice but to accept it.

Ichigo stayed hesitantly at the door. He could hear Rukia Kuchiki inside as well. Did this mean the captain wanted to give him a piece of Rukia's artwork. His face turned slightly green before opening the door.

"Ah Kurosaki. Thank you for coming. I have gotten the approval that you will be going to Karakura town for some time. You will need somewhere to live and a high school application along with- Kurosaki?"

Ichigo remained silent. His eyes showed that he was surprised and that he might faint. His reiatsu seemed more out of control than usual. And captain began to wonder if this was a good idea in the first place.

"When do I have to be there?" he finally asked, the words coming in only a whisper.

"As soon as Kuchiki-san is ready."

At that point the mood changed.

"What! Why does that midget have to come along?" he screamed. Said "midget" kicked her lieutenant in the shins and they began to argue. It took a whole ten minutes to settle them down.

"Please Kurosaki, you have to understand. I told the captain commander that you would be teaching Kuchiki-san about the real world. It was the only way," he explained. Ichigo glared at Rukia but said nothing.

"If you would like, I could change the request," he added.

"It's fine. As long as she doesn't slow me down," he said in his arrogant tone. Another argument erupted but it ended quickly when both heard that they would have to go as soon as possible.

_Please, stay safe._ Ukitake prayed as the two unlikely friends walked out of his office.

--------------------------------------------(Divider)-------------------------------------------------------

"Your son you say?" the manager asked. Masaki nodded. Isshin leaned against the wall as the conversation continued. He remembered the reiatsu he felt when he came outside. It was powerful, in fact, it was stronger than his own. It also seemed too much for a high school student should be able to withstand.

"Hmm, well there was some news a year a go that a young adult had passed the academy and had immediately become a lieutenant in the thirteenth devision. He would have become a captain, but they were no openings. They say he has unmistakable orange hair. But that's all the news I know," he said. The mother looked desperate for more information, but quietly said her thanks and left the shop.

Isshin stayed behind.

"Kisuke, you know something don't you," he convicted. The blond man smiled as he put a fan up to his face.

"Always on top of things, aren't you Isshin. Tell me, do you have room for another member for your family?" he asked. The father raised an eyebrow before leaving the shop.

Once he was gone, the manager smiled as he saw the sun rising.

"Jinta! Ururu! Wake up! We have to make sure some new guests find where they belong," he smiled.


	2. The Hero of Midday

He Who Protects

"Okaa-san! We're going to school!" Yuzu yelled. Both daughters looked at their mother with worry. Ever since morning, she had been staring into space like the day their brother died. They remembered that the air around her was tensed and pressured them to cry. It was almost impossible to get her to talk.

But it didn't stop Yuzu from trying. She continued telling her mother about happy things and how life is wonderful. Soon after, her twin Karin pushed her out of the house, leaving only their mother in the kitchen by herself in silence.

"Karin," her sister opposed in a soft voice.

"Shh. Okaa-san needs her space. It only been a few days since the anniversary and she's already seeing visions of him," she whispered back. Her voice had the tone that scared Yuzu. It mean and nasty, and it didn't sound like her sister at all.

Yuzu watched as here sister walked away from the clinic in anger and frustration. She took another glance at the doors and ran after her. While running, she could hear that Karin was muttering something about their brother.

"When I see him in the afterlife, I'm going kill him. It's his fault that Okaa-san is like this," she muttered, tears starting to form. Yuzu reached out to comfort her, but the soccer athlete ran away before she could touch her, leaving the poor defenseless Yuzu alone on the streets.

"Karin," she whispered as she cried. Her legs failed her as she fell alone on the road where she cried. No one heard at single sound she made while doing so. It must have been at least five minutes before a hand reached out to help her.

"Hey, are you okay?" a stern voice asked. Through her teary eyes, she could make out the uniform was from the high school for the boys. A back pack was slung over his shoulders . He was tall and looked like a gang member. But to Yuzu, he seemed kind and friendly with a sense of trust.

She dried out her eyes with a tissue the stranger gave her and stood up, gathering her stuff she dropped on the ground, still not seeing the man's face. She knew it wasn't anyone she knew of. Before she could introduce herself, the stranger was preparing to leave.

"Excuse me, who are you? I'm Yuzu Kurosaki. If you're going to the high school, you're late and going to wrong way!" she called out. The man froze at the sound of her last name.

He looked back and she gasped at the face that was looking at her.

It was their long known dead brother: Ichigo Kurosaki.

------------------------------(Divider)------------------------------

How he gotten into this mess, he'll never know. He was only going to school, like any other Japaneses student should, and the moment he entered the building, he was suspended for bleaching his hair to a repulsive color. It wasn't like he actually liked school, he just didn't like being stereotyped as a gang member.

He felt uncomfortable in his gigai that Hats and Clogs gave him. He only told him that it was free of charge and it hid his reiatsu as well. If only if it felt like a real body, not like a rubber suit! He walked a bit crooked to the candy shop. Ichigo wanted the gigai Soul Society had given him. It felt much more comfortable than the one Hats and Clogs gave him.

It would have been a trip with out distraction if it weren't for a girl crying alone on the streets. He couldn't resist helping her. She reminded him of his younger sister when he was still alive. The lieutenant asked if she was okay and offered to help pick up her books and walked away without his face being seen.

_'Maybe I'll visit the clinic after I get my gigai back,' _ he thought. He shook his mind at the thought. Everyone knows he's dead. It wouldn't be good if they thought he was revived from the dead. It would only add to the pile of rumors added to his name. Besides, he was strictly ordered not to show anyone his true identity to anyone. It was rare for someone who had just recently died to come back to the world of the living

"Excuse me, who are you?" she asked. He continued walking.

"I'm Yuzu Kurosaki." he stopped and turned around.

"If you're going to the high school, you're late and going the wrong way!" He heard a sharp gasp and didn't expect what was going to happen next. She ran up to him with her arms spread out, tears starting to come out. She hugged him. He didn't know what to do. He was fifteen and didn't know what to do.

"Ichi-nii. Ichi-nii, you came back! I knew you would someday!" she whispered in between sobs. He comforted her as she cried. The two must have looked odd to people, but both didn't care. Yuzu continued to cry, and Ichigo remained strong and comforted his little sister as if he's been doing it for years. Her books were scattered again and his uniform was wet, but the two siblings were reunited and that was all that mattered.

------------------------------------------------------------------(Divider)---------------------------------

"Why did you send him out to school? He only just arrived in the world of the living" a raven haired girl asked. The manager was staring out to the street of his shop. The officer scoffed at his lack of answers and went back into her room in the shop.

A smile crept out from Kisuke's stoic mask. The fan was risen as it showed. His eyes were covered by his hat's shadow as he felt the lieutenant's reiastu spike. His plan had actually worked.


	3. The Guardian of Night

He Who Protects

* * *

Karin didn't go to school that day. For the whole day, she spent her time looking for Yuzu. She felt bad for running like that and couldn't stand seeing her sister crying alone. She had to be the brave on in her family and she made sure she did her job right. Though no matter how much she wanted to apologized, she couldn't help but walk the whole way there.

The twin had to think. She had to think about what to say and how to react to her sister's emotions. Karin was different from her family in that sense. She knew how to plan and learn from her mistakes. But when she saw her sister embracing a complete stranger, she could do nothing but stare.

"Yuzu!" she screamed, attacking the man with a soccer ball. He swiftly moved out of the way, counterattacking that move while in motion. Yuzu realized what he was doing and screamed against it!

"Ichi-nii! Don't!" she cried.

_Ichi-nii?_ Karin thought as he watched the man's performance in catching the ball. It was perfect. The movement was swift and he perfectly switched from offense to defense in a simple step.

"Hey, is it you Karin?" he asked, snapping her out of the daze. She stepped forward towards the man. Her face showed fear as he walked forward.

_Ichigo is dead. He always been dead. He's dead. He's dead. He's de-_

"Karin, it's me, Ichigo," he said. He knelt down to hear height with his arm spread wide. She ran forward with tears in her eyes. Yuzu stayed back, smiling at her sister.

"Ichigo!" she screamed. A fist was raised and it connected with the older brother's face. He landed onto the ground, but quickly recovered from the hit.

"Hey, what was that for?" he yelled.

"That's for disappearing!" she screamed back, tears still coming out of her eyes. He stood back up and smirked. Karin knew he had something up his sleeves.

"Oh well, if I'm such a bad brother then I guess I shouldn't be giving you this," he said as he held up a soccer ball. Karin widen her eyes at the sight of it. It was personally signed from her newly deceased favorite soccer player.

"Give it," she demanded.

"Karin," Yuzu warned.

"Steal out of my hand and maybe I'll give it to you," he smirked and ran at an amazing speed. The athletic twin smiled as she ran after him. Leaving only Yuzu to watched the struggle between siblings happen.

_Our family is back together again. _

-----------(divider)--------------------

"Masaki, have you seen my girls? They haven't shown up yet and it's getting dark out," Isshin asked. As usual, his wife stayed silent, staring off into space. He sighed and looked out the window to see street lights lighting up one by one.

Seconds later, noise was heard behind the door. The usual voice of the proud father's girls and a boy. Isshin, as overactive as usual, prepared an attacked on the boy behind. It only took his father instinct to take care of the boy. Karin and Yuzu were too young to have boyfriends or worse, to be dating!

The door opened quickly and the father didn't give a moment to see who the boy was.

"Don't worry girls! Daddy will save you!" he screamed, attempting kick the teen's face. The berry head moved aside and slammed the father's leg down into the concrete.

The twins looked at the teenager's face in surprised. No one had ever been able to dodger their lunatic father's attack.

"Where did you said you went to?" Karin asked.

"The army," he replied rapidly. At the sound at the voice, Masaki raised her head. First the daughters entered. Yuzu started to prepare dinner and Karin hiding a hidden smile.

Isshin was the next to arrive, tears flowing out and yelling how the boy was able to surpass his skills.

Finally, the boy walked in through the door. His orange hair filled the room with color. A smile crawled on his face as his mother stood up to embrace him.

The family smiled at the sight of the reunion and savored the words their mother cried out.

"Ichigo, you're home and here," she cried and wrapped her arms around him.

"Okaa-san, I'm sorry," he apologized.

The two remained quiet for a moment, but both laughed for unknown reasons. But it didn't matter. The family was reunited once more and the would do everything in their power to keep it like that.

--------------------------------(divide)--------------

Epilogue

"Everyone I'm home!" Ichigo called out. It was late at night, like usual. He had to kill another Hollow and had been doing so for a month. But he still was able to remain in the top ranking students. It was an honor and his family was proud of it.

His eyes laid upon his sisters who fell asleep on the couch waiting for him to come home. His father was probably up stairs rushing to grab blankets before they caught a cold. And his mother, the mother stood in front of him like usual. But this time was different. She ran up and hugged him like the day he first came.

"Okaa-san?"

"You're still here. You're still here." she muttered. "It's not a dream then, is it?" she asked.

Guilt filled Ichigo as he thought about when he should returned to Soul Society. But inside, he knew that he will do everything to stay here.

"No, Okaa-san. I'm here to protect us now. You don't need to worry," he comforted and pulled away from the hug. He looked straight into her eyes to show he was telling the truth.

The mother smiled as she watched her son climbing up the stairs to his room.

"You know you can't stay here," Rukia reminded him as he closed his bedroom door. She had just recently taken resident in his closet saying it was far more comfortable than the Candy Store.

"I have to," Ichigo replied, laying on his bed.

"No you don't," Rukia argued.

"Yes I do. Do you know what my name actually mean?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia shook her head as she climbed into the closet.

"It means 'Number One Guardian' or 'He who Protects'. I have to protect this town, even if it means defying Soul Society," Ichigo concluded and fell asleep.

The officer closed the closet door, leaving her in the dark to her thoughts.

_Ichigo, I hope you know what you are doing_. She thought and slept through the night.

* * *

Thanks to the Following:

Master Solo, ichigos future wife, shadowgouf, Persistence, Yukira-Kuchiki, the awoke'n, bookishangel, derderxp, Fat ppl are harder to kidnap, JediBorme, N2G-Kyosuke, Someone who knows nothing., Neko of death, star-gazing-in-LA, Raju Narisetti, RLE95, BelieveInDreams, Gwen Khan, SplitToInfinity, TopazVampire

Thanks for acutally letting me know you read this story. I hope you like it and hope the ending was sucky. (I hate writting endings.) And maybe another sequel (a real story!) will be coming. It depends on you guys. But thanks again for the reviews and hope I didn't disappoint!


End file.
